Stock licking salt block



Fatented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATEL 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a specifically new and novel salt block such as is universally used for conditioning cows, heifers and the like, and it has more specific reference to a turnable type block such as may be placed on a suitable shaft or arbor and suspended from fence posts or the like to expedite feeding stock essential minerals.

In reducing the principles of the present inventive conception to practice, I have evolved and produced an elongated block having flat faces, said block being preferably polygonal in cross sectional form and provided with beveled or chamfered corners, said block being provided with a central tapered bore constituting the chief innovation embodied therein.

Stated otherwise, the essence of the invention has to do with a compressed salt block characterized by a tapered bore which performs to facilitate molding or pressing the block and thereafter constitutes the convenient passage for a supporting'stick, rod, pipe or the like.

Other features and advantages may become apparent from the following description and drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing a cattle or stock licking block or briquette constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the manner in which it may be satisfactorily used.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section substantially on the line 2--2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the same.-

The block is denoted by the numeral 4 and, as before stated, is of longitudinally elongated form and preferably polygonal in cross sectional form. This provides a plurality of flat faces 5 such as may be conveniently licked, said faces being joined together by the beveled corners or chamfered surfaces 6. This configuration of a block facilitates turning the block over bodily, or upon a support, if it is suspended on .a support.

It is quite frequently the habit of cattle to turn the block with the head and this cross sectional configuration facilitates such turning. The outstanding feature of the block is, however, the passage 1. It will be observed that this is tapered or gradually increased in cross sectional dimension at one end as indicated at 8. Moreover, it opens through the opposite ends of the block so as to permit passage therethrough of a suspension rod, bar, pipe or the like which is indicated at s in Fig. 1. This pipe can be attached by chains or the like it to fence posts H. Thus the device can be suspended on a pair of fence posts so that it can be made accessible from either side of the fence to permit its use by a plurality of animals.

It has been found that in order to form the bore in the block during the process of compressing it in the mold (not shown), if a tapered opening is used, a correspondingly tapered core can be inserted to form the passage or bore. The use of the tapered core makes it possible to extract it easily, allowing the compressed block with the 5 bore or passage formed therein to drop down through the open bottom of the mold. Thereafter the tapered bore constitutes a satisfactory passage for rods and pipes, or other suspension elements of varying cross sectional dimensions.

It is believed that the many advantages of a salt block constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in details of construction may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In an assemblage of the class described, a pair of complementary relatively stationary supporting posts, a tubular horizontally disposed suspension rod, said rod having its opposite ends bearing against said post, relatively short hanger chains detachably secured to the opposite ends of said rod and extending vertically and at rightangles therefrom, fastening means securing said chains to said posts, and a stock licking salt block of a length considerably less than the length of said rod, said block being substantially rectangular in cross sectional form, having flat ends and side surfaces, and having a central tapered bore through which said rod is extended for rotatably and slidably supporting the block on said rod, 5 whereby said rod can be conveniently suspended to facilitate use by the stock.

LESLIE AARON PA'I'IEN. 

